Bob Dunlap is a renowned expert on most of todays and yesterdayâ€™s important AND obscure firearms. He has been a warranty station for most manufacturers, both large and small. He understands the design, function, and repair of firearms in general, and certainly the gun that has been a major success for Ruger with Law Enforcement, foreign militaries, and the American public, the Ruger Mini-14 and all of its derivatives.
If you want the â€œquickâ€ course on how to get this super popular semi-auto centerfire rifle apart, back together, and operating as intended, then this course is for you (if you want the â€œlong courseâ€, look into our basic 108 hour Professional Gunsmith course).
Among the items covered are:
History
* Founded by Bill Ruger and Alexander Sturm in a small rented machine shop in 1949, Sturm, Ruger & Co. brought out the Mini-14 in 1971. It was their first really successful centerfire semi-auto
* The gun owes a great deal to the Garand/M-14, M-1 Carbine design, and looks somewhat like the M-14 (Duh! Hence the â€œMini-14â€)
* The trigger group is practically identical to those earlier guns
* There was a great buzz of anticipation when the gun was announced and a big rush to buy it when it finally hit the market
* The gun is inexpensive, reliable, and like most Rugers, a great value for the money
Design & Function
* Magazine is a great deal like the AR-15 magazine and with some work, those can be made to function in the Mini-14
* Bolt lock-up and gas system demonstrated and explained
* How the secondary sear functions as a disconnector and also provides a two stage trigger system
* Out of battery safety feature
* Bolt assembly partsâ€™ function described
* What holds in the extractor, which holds in the firing pin, whichâ€¦â€¦â€¦.
* Gas nozzle and action bar system bears a resemblance to that of the Remington 742 and is very trouble free
* Demonstration and explanation of how the magazine retaining system operates, from the magazine catch to the recoil spring powered plunger that holds the front
* Demonstration and explanation of how the bolt stop is actuated and operates, both by the magazine follower and the manual over ride button
* How the cam slot design in the operating rod actuates the bolt
* How the windage and elevation knobs of the rear sight operate with a bullet nose
* Fire control system and safety operation are demonstrated and explained
* How the safety moves the hammer off of the sear and blocks the trigger
* How the hammer actually rotates the bolt to complete lock up if the cycle is slightly out of time
* Cartridge feeding cycle demonstrated and explained
* Ejector operation
Disassembly
* Extensive disassembly, and instructions on how to take apart those parts/assemblies not disassembled, and explanation of why some assemblies are NOT to be disassembled
* Field stripping
* Bolt stop removal
* Gas block removal
* Magazine plunger removal
* Rear sight information
* Bolt disassembly
* Trigger group disassembly
* Pay particular attention to the magazine catch disassembly
* You get a good look at how the various parts fit together and interact (particularly the springs) after they are removed from the gun and Bob â€œâ€™splainsâ€ things
Cleaning & Lubrication
* AGI cleaning & lubrication methods shown, along with the reasons for their use
* After cleaning, dry with air gun, or in the oven on Warm ~185-200 degrees (metal parts ONLY)
* Lubing the â€œBobâ€ way, and what kind he likes
Reassembly
* Pins, slave and tapered, hook, punches, etc. Helpful tools to help you get this gun back together easier
* Gas block reassembly
* Bolt reassembly and troubleshooting
* How to correct the poorly fitted extractor, â€œputting the squeeze onâ€
* Extractor configuration and rules shown and explained
* Trigger group reassembly and troubleshooting
* How to do a simple, yet effective, trigger job, but why Bob thinks you should not do so
* Positive and negative sear/hammer engagement is VERY important
* Make sure that the safety is SAFE and properly fitted
* If you donâ€™t understand the preceding three sections completely, get the â€œTrigger Jobsâ€ course (the Garand Trigger course will work here), or take the gun to a qualified, professional gunsmith. Be Safe, not Sorry!
Accessories
* Rear sight adjustment tool
* Replacement apertures
* Butt pad/extender
* Scope mount
* Stocks
* Handguards
* Magazines
* Muzzle brakes
* Flash suppressor/sight combo
If you noticed how often the terms â€œexplanationâ€, and â€œdemonstrationâ€ are used, you may be getting some idea of why this course is a â€œmust haveâ€ for any Ruger Mini-14 owner, or someone who intends to be.